Rydell Chevrolet in Illinois

[9566 BA]

I just bought a 68 nova and the guy I bought it from said it was from Illinois and there is a rydell emblem on the trunk. Anybody know about this dealer?

[Schonyenko2]

Jeff, not sure about Ill., but there's a Rydell in Cedar Falls/Waterloo Ia. They also have an outlet in Cedar Rapids. They have very good deals on crate motors. And they deliver to your door. S.

[Racefan]

I agree with Schonye, maybe the car was sold used through Rydell in Iowa and they put thier emblems on? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[9566 BA]

Phil or Ken
Has Rydell in Waterloo been there for a long time? I called them and the service manager said it was Schiuki or something like that in 68, but it has been there a long time. Were they a hipo dealer?

[Racefan]

Maybe Schonye can shed more light on this than I can....I do remember hearing the ads when I was a kid (mid 70's), but I think that was for the Cedar Rapids stores. Not sure about Waterloo/Cedar Falls. Schonye?

[Steven J]

Found this picture. Lettering on door shows Rydell Chevrolet in Grand Forks.

[9566 BA]

Steve
I cant read what it says after Grand Forks on the drivers door. Is the racetrack in PA.? I see the Keystone on the tower.

[Steven J]

Canada, I think. I found the photo here, don't recall what page it was on.

http://www.mts.net/~red67/reunion7.html

[Schonyenko2]

I'm not sure how long they've been around that area. In the 60s Freidly was the hipo dealer in that area. They were a Yenko dealer.Rydell may have moved there after Friedly went out of business, or may have had more than one franchise in different states. Rydell does specialize in hipo crate engines like Scoggin Dickie, Pace, and Sallee. S.

[Jeff Murphy]

Says Grand Forks, No. Dak. on the door.

Rydell Chevrolet Oldsmobile (701) 772-7211 2700 S Washington St, Grand Forks, ND

Zone 33 Dealer 703

[JChlupsa]

http://www.rydells.com/rydell.nsf/htmlmedia/rydell_story.html

[9566 BA]

I got the nova out in the sun today. On the trunk is Rydell with Grand Forks underneath. So I geuss it a North Dakota car! Thanks for the help everybody. Anybody have any info on this dealer? They must have been into racing to have sponcered a race car.

[Belair62]

http://www.mts.net/~red67/reunion3.html check this page

[9566 BA]

Thanks for the link. I called Rydell Chevrolet in Grand Forks North Dakota and they are having there 50th anniversery this week. Maybe they have some records laying around.

[Jonesy]

Wow came upon this old post, FWIW

There is a Rydell is in Grand Forks, ND.

[Smokey]

Keystone was the strip up by Winnipeg Canada.

Rydell has alot of dealerships across the USA. He's big into the tractor world too.

[bigsixman]

Rydell Chevrolet started in the 50s in Grand Forks ND by Leonard Rydell and it has carried down to his son Wes who is active. A brother Jim is in Waterloo IA. The corporation runs about 50 auto dealerships around the country. Wes is a hot rodder and a friend of mine and I have never heard him mention tractors. He is good friends with Chip Foose and his Grandmaster 35 Chevy won the Riddler award in Detroit about 5 or 6 years ago. His 54 Chevy belair is featured in absorber ads in national magazines. They built a new dealership about 3 years ago and I was told any old info was long gone prior to that. They were an excellent high perf dealer back in the day as we had an USAF base and missile sites construction at the time that brought alot of dollars to the area. They sold a Z-16 chevelle, but no COPOs that I am aware of. I remember 3 1970 Z/28s and 4 SS396 chevelles on the lot as I went into the service in 1970. They helped or sponsored several drag cars back in the day. They are a first class operation and true car people.

[quick-bowtie]

My old Z16 was sold new at Rydell in Grand Forks they did sponsor a few drag cars and I believe it was one of the sons or cousins?? was heavy into cars. My Z16 was the 2nd production car made so they must have had some connections and it too is also on the Bison Raceway website.

[bigsixman]

I remember your car very well. The car was part of an advertising campaign in 65 for Rydell's new dealership. They made the original owner keep it on the showroom floor for a week before they allowed him to take it home. He kept it for about a year until he bought a 66 SS396 chevelle from Rydells that had a 427/425 put in it at Rydells service dept. The car has had 4 owners up this way until it went to Mpls. I could've bought it for $8500.00 in 1986 or 87, big mistake on my part. It ran around here for several years in the 60s with a ford teardrop hood scoop and blue rattle can window tint job. The car was well remembered at Bison and Red River Valley dragway (Interstate Dragway) in Moorhead MN.I believe the original owner changed gears,added posi, and put in the solid lifter cam and headers. I know alot more about the car if you are interested.

[PeteLeathersac]

Chttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifhttp://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifL Info!.
Hearing more about the '66 Chevelle w/ the Rydell added L72 would be great too!.
Do you know if the engine transplant was before the original customer delivery date or later?.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete

[bigsixman]

The 66 SS396 chevelle was ordered in the fall of 65 as a 396/360 4 speed prior to the release of the 375 HP motor. The 427/425 was ordered through Rydells and installed in the service dept. They even added the 66 full size 427 cross flag fender emblems. The car was white with red buckets.

[PeteLeathersac]

Thanks for the update on the L72 powered '66!.
Cool car either way but do you know if Rydell's service dept did the transplant before the car was delivered new to the customer or did he take delivery w/ the L34 and return for the engine swap?.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[bigsixman]

The swap was after delivery, but not very long as I remember the details.The original L-34 motor is something I have no memory of at all as to what was done with it after the swap. Auran Chevrolet (Jim Ryan) in Minot ND had a customer (Darrel Hadberg) that did the same swap with a madera maroon 66 SS396 chevelle. The car was lettered with the dealership on the doors and raced in 1966-7.

[PeteLeathersac]

Thanks Craig!.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete

[PeteLeathersac]

Zone # 33
Dealer Code # 703

Rydell Chevrolet

Grand Forks, North Dakota
(Info circa 1976)

------------------------

Zone # 33
Dealer Code # 41

Auran Chevrolet

1800 S. Broadway
Minot, North Dakota
(Info circa 1970)

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
~ Pete

[Outlaw68Nova]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bigsixman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The swap was after delivery, but not very long as I remember the details.The original L-34 motor is something I have no memory of at all as to what was done with it after the swap. Auran Chevrolet (Jim Ryan) in Minot ND had a customer (Darrel Hadberg) that did the same swap with a madera maroon 66 SS396 chevelle. The car was lettered with the dealership on the doors and raced in 1966-7. </div></div>

Bigsixman, I think his name was Darrel Elberg not Darrel Hadberg. He was an employee of Auran Chevrolet. He had a lot of hi performance cars!!! He loved Chevelles. He also had ordered a L78 Nova SS and many more L78's. Thx&amp;#128512;

[Outlaw68Nova]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 9566 BA</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I got the nova out in the sun today. On the trunk is Rydell with Grand Forks underneath. So I geuss it a North Dakota car! Thanks for the help everybody. Anybody have any info on this dealer? They must have been into racing to have sponcered a race car. </div></div>

Would the nova be for sale? &amp;#128512;

[bigsixman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Outlaw68Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bigsixman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The swap was after delivery, but not very long as I remember the details.The original L-34 motor is something I have no memory of at all as to what was done with it after the swap. Auran Chevrolet (Jim Ryan) in Minot ND had a customer (Darrel Hadberg) that did the same swap with a madera maroon 66 SS396 chevelle. The car was lettered with the dealership on the doors and raced in 1966-7. </div></div>

Bigsixman, I think his name was Darrel Elberg not Darrel Hadberg. He was an employee of Auran Chevrolet. He had a lot of hi performance cars!!! He loved Chevelles. He also had ordered a L78 Nova SS and many more L78's. Thx&amp;#128512; </div></div>

Outlaw68Nova, It very well may have been Elberg, the memory goes pretty foggy after 50 years. The Minot area was a good car town because of the Minot AFB and those young airmen liked nice cars.

Is Darrel still around the Minot area? He should be a wealth of information regarding the 60s Chevrolet muscle cars. My friend has one or more pictures of the lettered up 66 chevelle that he raced back when new.

[Outlaw68Nova]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Outlaw68Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bigsixman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The swap was after delivery, but not very long as I remember the details.The original L-34 motor is something I have no memory of at all as to what was done with it after the swap. Auran Chevrolet (Jim Ryan) in Minot ND had a customer (Darrel Hadberg) that did the same swap with a madera maroon 66 SS396 chevelle. The car was lettered with the dealership on the doors and raced in 1966-7. </div></div>

Bigsixman, I think his name was Darrel Elberg not Darrel Hadberg. He was an employee of Auran Chevrolet. He had a lot of hi performance cars!!! He loved Chevelles. He also had ordered a L78 Nova SS and many more L78's. Thx&amp;#128512; </div></div>

Outlaw68Nova, It very well may have been Elberg, the memory goes pretty foggy after 50 years. The Minot area was a good car town because of the Minot AFB and those young airmen liked nice cars.

Is Darrel still around the Minot area? He should be a wealth of information regarding the 60s Chevrolet muscle cars. My friend has one or more pictures of the lettered up 66 chevelle that he raced back when new.


PM sent

[PeteLeathersac]

‘

Nice Rydell Grand Forks emblem deal on eBoy...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rydell-Chev-GMC-Grand-Forks-ND-Vintage-Dealership-Trunk-Emblem-Badge-NICE/153223748831?hash=item23acd8dcdf:g:ntwAAOSwtItbvlI q

:beers:
~ Pete

.

[Jonesy]

Thats actually a newer version, The older ones where just a bit different.